The new solar charging option, said Honda, is being offered as part of field tests in Miyakojima City. Here the MC-β will be charged from three PV recharging stations newly built by Toshiba. The tests “will explore the potential usage patterns and needs of small-sized mobility products in a mobility environment unique to remote islands, where the travel distance is short and energy resources for mobility such as gasoline are procured from off the island.”

image via Honda

Also being evaluated during this period are the effects of CO2 emissions and energy cost reduction, which is important to any city trying to cut down on its carbon footprint. As Honda senior researcher Takeo Kiuchi said at the unveiling of the solar chargers last week “this experiment…verifies the potential of a CO2-free society [and] represents the very activities Honda is pursuing in the effort to realize ‘the joy and freedom of mobility’ and ‘a sustainable society where people can enjoy life.”

I am the editor-in-chief and founder for EarthTechling. This site is my desire to bring the world of green technology to consumers in a timely and informative matter. Prior to this my previous ventures have included a strong freelance writing career and time spent at Silicon Valley start ups.